SEPTEMBER 22, 1899. ] 
mally resolved to establish an international 
sidero-chemical laboratory at Zurich. It 
was stated that fifteen smelting companies 
and iron manufacturers had pledged them- 
selves to contribute $3,500 per year for this 
purpose, and that the Polytechnicum at 
Zurich had offered the use of four well- 
equipped rooms. It was, accordingly, de- 
termined to open the laboratory in 1898, 
and an international commission was ap- 
pointed to take charge of it and raise 
further funds for its maintenance. I am 
unable to state how fully this has been 
carried out, as no published accounts of its 
work have appeared. It is, however, to be 
doubted whether the establishment of chem- 
ical and physical laboratories falls properly 
within the scope of the objects of the Asso- 
ciation. If sufficient funds could be raised 
so that men of different nationalities might 
meet at such a laboratory to actually make 
analyses and tests, each criticizing the oth- 
ers, while at the same time learning from 
them,then undoubtedly effective work would 
be done in harmonizing differences and 
perfecting standard methods. It is to be 
hoped, if the establishment of the sidero- 
chemical laboratory at Zurich proves to be 
successful, that it may tend to further this 
method of research. It is, however, the 
opinion of many members that results as 
good, if not better, would be secured by ar- 
ranging systematic schemes of investiga- 
tion and distributing the actual work of 
analysis or testing among the laboratories 
of different countries. 
A brief history of the organization and 
work of the International Association for 
Testing Materials, and of that of its Amer- 
ican Section, has now been given. The 
great interest taken in the movement in so 
many countries is an index of the necessity 
felt in all branches of the engineering pro- 
fession for the introduction of uniform 
methods of testing and inspecting the ma- 
terials of construction. This work is one 
SCIENCE. 
401 
that must occupy many years, and which 
in a certain sense can never be finished, for 
constant progress will be made in our 
knowledge of the properties of materials. 
In order to carry it on with success it is 
apparent that more money will be needed 
than the small amount now raised from 
the annual dues of members. In Europe 
the importance of the work of the As- 
sociation is forcibly attested by the fact 
that engineering societies, bureaus of public 
works, iron and cement manufacturers and 
railroads assist it by extra annual con- 
tributions, and it is to be hoped that the 
influence of this Section may be sufficient 
to cause similar substantial gifts to flow into 
its treasury from American corporations. 
Since the above was written a circular of 
the International Council has been received, 
containing the information that probably 
arrangements cannot be made for holding 
the Congress of the Association at Paris in 
1900. It appears that the authorities of 
the-Paris Exposition have the right to con- 
trol the organization of all Congresses held 
in that city in that year, and that they have 
announced one to be held on the subject of 
materials, and appointed officers to conduct 
the same. The subject will be discussed at 
this annual meeting, and expressions of 
opinion are desired as to whether it is best to 
abandon our Congress of 1900, in order to 
cooperate with the one announced by the 
authorities of the Paris Exposition, or to 
hold it at London during the week preced- 
ing. 
In conclusion, it is with pleasure that I 
congratulate the American Section upon its 
activity and the Association itself upon the 
bright prospects before it. The undertak- 
ing inaugurated by Bauschinger and his as- 
sociates bore good fruit at the conventions 
of 1884, 1886, 1888 and 1893, and'prepared 
the way for the Zurich meeting of 1895, 
which was at the same time the fifth con- 
vention and the first Congress. At the 
